ire'ne lara silva facts for kids

Ire'ne Lara Silva
Silva at the 2016 Texas Book Festival.
Genre	Poetry/Fiction
Notable awards	NALAC Grant Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Award AROHO Fiction Finalist Gloria Anzaldúa Milagro Award

Ire'ne Lara Silva is a talented writer and poet from Austin, Texas. She is known for her powerful poems and stories. Her parents were migrant farmworkers, meaning they traveled to different places to work on farms. Ire'ne's writing often talks about how Indigenous people have stayed strong and kept their cultures alive, even after difficult times. She believes it's important to "empower ourselves with that knowledge." Her short story collection won the 2013 Premio Aztlán Literary Prize.

Growing Up

Silva grew up in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Her parents were migrant farmworkers. This meant her family moved a lot when she was young. They traveled from South Texas to places like Mathis, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and the Panhandle, following farm work.

Becoming a Writer

Silva has written many books of poetry and a collection of short stories. She has published three small books of poetry, called chapbooks. She has also released two full-length poetry books. Her work has appeared in different magazines and journals. These include Acentos Review and Pilgrimage. Her poems have also been featured in various anthologies. Anthologies are collections of writings by different authors. Some of these include Improbable Worlds and The Weight of Addition.

Her poetry collection, blood sugar canto, was published in January 2016. Silva also helped edit a book called IMANIMAN. This book featured poets reflecting on the ideas of Gloria Anzaldúa. It was published in 2016.

Awards and Recognition

Silva has received many awards for her writing. Her first full-length poetry book, furia, received an honorable mention in 2011. This was for the International Latino Book Award. Her short story collection, flesh to bone, won the 2013 Premio Aztlán Literary Prize. It was also a finalist for other awards, like the Gift of Freedom Award. It was also a finalist for Foreword Review's Book of the Year Award in Multicultural Fiction.

In 2014, Silva received the Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Award. She also received the Gloria Anzaldúa Milagro Award in 2008. Silva was one of the first fellows at the CantoMundo Writers Conference.

From 2004 to 2008, Silva was the Executive Coordinator of the Macondo Writers Workshop. This important workshop was started by the famous writer Sandra Cisneros. Silva also helped direct the Flor De Nopal Literary Festival.

Her Published Works

Poetry Books

• ani'mal, La Loba Press, (2001), reprinted Axoquentlatoa Press, (2010)
• INDíGENA, La Loba Press, (2001), reprinted Axoquentlatoa Press, (2010)
• furia, London: Mouthfeel Press, (2010)
• Enduring Azucares, Little Rock: Sibling Rivalry Press, (2015)
• blood sugar canto, Hilo: Saddle Road Press (2016)
• Cuicacalli / House of Song, Saddle Road Press, 2019

Short Story Collection

• flesh to bone, San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books, (2013)

As Editor

• IMANIMAN: Poets Reflect on Transformative & Transgressive Borders Through Gloria Anzaldúa's Work, with Dan Vera and an introduction by United States Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, Aunt Lute Books, (2016)